Have You Ever Heard The Phrase: Pump and Dump?
Breastfeeding comes with a lot of advice—some helpful, some confusing, and some outdated, but one of the most widely misunderstood pieces of advice is to pump and dump. You may have heard this phrase before and perhaps you are curious about what it means. The intention of this article is not to recommend or endorse pumping and dumping, but to shed light on what it really means, and debunk some common myths associated with pumping and dumping.
What is Pump and Dump Breastfeeding?
When we talk about pump and dump in the context of breastfeeding, we are talking about the practice of expressing and discarding milk, rather than feeding it to your baby. The intention is to remove any substances in your milk that could be harmful before breastfeeding your child. This is a practice that is commonly associated with consuming alcohol, recreational drugs, certain medications, or potentially harmful toxins. Pumping and dumping is also done by mothers who have undergone certain medical treatments and procedures.
3 Pump and Dump Breastfeeding Myths
Now that we are clear about what pump and dump means, let us debunk some of the popular misconceptions that are associated with it. Here are 5 common myths related to pumping and dumping.
1. Pumping and dumping gets rid of the alcohol in your milk.
Drinking alcohol while breastfeeding can have detrimental effects on a baby’s physical and cognitive development, as alcohol passes easily into breast milk. In order to mitigate this risk, some mothers may try to pump and dump their breast milk after drinking to remove alcohol from their system. This is a false and potentially dangerous belief because pumping and dumping does not reduce the alcohol content in your milk more quickly.
Instead, it is safer to reduce your alcohol intake and wait for a longer period of time for it to dissolve in your system and naturally leave the body before feeding. The speed at which alcohol leaves your breast milk also relies on other factors like the amount of alcohol consumed and your body weight. In a previous article, we talk about drinking while breastfeeding in more detail.
2. You should Pump and dump after getting a COVID-19 Vaccine
Many online posts and websites have spread false information that maternal vaccination could be harmful to infants and a lot of people have believed and spread these claims. But the truth is that vaccination while breastfeeding is completely safe. According to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), there is no evidence to suggest that the COVID-19 vaccines are harmful to babies of breastfeeding women who receive the vaccine. Studies have also shown that breastfeeding mothers who received the mRNA COVID-19 vaccines have antibodies in their breastmilk that help to protect their babies. So do you have to pump and dump after getting a COVID-19 vaccine? The simple answer is “No”. Vaccines like the flu shot and COVID-19 are scientifically considered to be safe.
3. You should pump and dump when sick
One common question people ask is if it is safe to breastfeed when you are sick. It may be easy to assume that pumping and dumping will make your breast milk safer. But the truth is that your breast milk is already safe, even if you are ill. Studies have proven that your breast milk naturally provides antibodies that help protect your baby against illnesses. Also when you contract an illness, your body produces antibodies that are specific to that illness and passed on through your breastmilk. However, in situations of highly contagious or life-threatening diseases as well as medications that could affect the infant through breastmilk, it is important to consult with a healthcare provider rather than simply pump and dump.
Final Thoughts
In conclusion, your breastmilk is usually safe, unless you have been diagnosed with a chronic condition like HIV or tuberculosis or are taking medication that has been proven to have detrimental effects if transmitted through breast milk. However, it is important to know that most medications are safe for breastfeeding mothers.
Pumping and dumping is usually unnecessary but it can be beneficial to mothers who produce more milk than their babies can consume. This is because too much milk can lead to engorgement if it is not expressed. It can also help to maintain your milk supply during periods when your regular feeding period is halted.
Do you have any thoughts or questions about pump and dump breastfeeding? Let us know in the comments below. We hope you found this article helpful, please don’t forget to share. You may also be interested in a previous article on High Lipase Breastfeeding: Is it Safe?
Sources
Lokossou GAG, Kouakanou L, Schumacher A, Zenclussen AC. Human Breast Milk: From Food to Active Immune Response With Disease Protection in Infants and Mothers. Front Immunol. 2022 Apr 5;13:849012. doi: 10.3389/fimmu.2022.849012. PMID: 35450064; PMCID: PMC9016618.
